A Dolls House and Things Fall Apart Essay - 1603 Words

Research Paper In every walk of life, people come face to face with suffering and difficulties. A person might suffer quietly by themselves, while the other is surrounded by the loving support of family and friends. When faced with challenges, many people seek to prove their strength by concealing their suffering. However, one can only carry so much pain and suffering on their own shoulders. Throughout society, these situations often appear in a person’s own life, and the lives of their family and friends. While this theme is visible in society, it is also evident throughout many works of literature. Within Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, in the midst of difficult situations, gaining strength and†¦show more content†¦Instead of telling her husband, Torvald, the truth, Nora keeps it a secret and tries to fix the problem alone. Mrs. Linden, Nora’s childhood friend, is confused by her actions and asks, â €Å"‘And you have never confessed to your husband?’† (Ibsen 151). Nora does not see the need to worry her husband over this matter. Her attempts to deal with the situation, without the support of family, ends up causing her more suffering. Going through challenges in life without the support of family can destroy a person’s strength. They become more vulnerable to the consequences of difficult situations, and their courage begins to diminish. This is evident in the life of Savannah, a former drug addict. In her story of recovery, Savannah began doing drugs at the age of 10, and the lack of care and support her parents offered her caused the drug use to increase throughout the years, until her recovery (Savannah). Stories like these and so many more are evident throughout generations. Nora and Savannah’s situations worsened because their families were absent in their struggles. Family support and encouragement is one of the foundations for which cha llenges can be resolved overall. No matter how hard someone might try, there are situations in life when a person must seek the assistance of their friends and others in order to succeed. In Things Fall Apart, this is most evident in Okonkwo’s early life. In order to support himself and his family, Okonkwo goes andShow MoreRelatedThings Fall Apart and A Dolls House Essays1597 Words   |  7 Pagesthere are many seemingly different cultures that share that one major similarity: the oppression and subjugation of women. Upon reading Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, it becomes clear that the primary reason for the abuse of women is the common cultural belief that women are secondary to men. This conclusion is further justified after reading A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen. Throughout history, many cultures have been heavily masculine based. There are countless examples of men wielding powerRead MoreThings Fall Apart and A Dolls House on Gender Roles Essay1441 Words    |  6 Pagesidea that men are above women in society; this is evident in the novels Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. Sometimes, there is a misconception of the phrase, gender roles. It is an expectation within each gender, society has always seen a gap between men and women and their individual roles, proving that men have always been more dominant (Blackstone). As played through the novel Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe paints that the Igbo culture has hailed men as the dominantRead MoreThe Struggle with the Glass Ceiling Essay1167 Words   |  5 Pagesstill live in a patriarchal society. Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart show us that the effects of the gender gap are still evident in current times and women are burdened by the glass ceiling. Women struggle to achieve high level positions. 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Patriarchal society means that men over rule the women in many ways and are more dominant causingRead More Essay on Lies and Self-realization in A Dolls House1162 Words   |  5 PagesSelf-realization in A Dolls House    In Ibsens play,   A Dolls House,   the characters willingly exist in a situation of untruth or inadequate truth that conceals conflict.   Noras independent nature is in contradiction to the tyrannical authority of Torvald.   This conflict is concealed by the way they both hide their true selves from society, each other, and ultimately themselves.   Just like Nora and Torvald, every character in this play is trapped in a situation of untruth. A Dolls House, can beRead More A Dolls House: A Push To Freedom Essay examples1371 Words   |  6 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Sometime after the publication of quot;A Dolls Housequot;, Henrik Ibsen spoke at a meeting of the Norwegian Association for Womens Rights. He explained to the group, quot;I must decline the honor of being said to have worked for the Womens Rights movement. I am not even very sure what Womens Rights are. To me it has been a question of human rightsquot; ( ). quot;A Dolls Housequot; is often interpreted by readers, teachers, and critics alike as an attackRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1288 Words   |  6 Pages Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House is based in the Victorian society of the 19th century. It assesses the many struggles and hardships that women faced because of marriage â€Å"laws† that were crucial during that time period. The society was male- dominated with no equality. Nora is the protagonist in A Doll’s House and the wife of a man named Torvald. This play is about Nora’s voyage to recognizing her self- determination and independence. She transforms from a traditional, reserved woman to a new, independentRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet And Henrik Ibsen s A Doll s House1400 Words   |  6 Pagesdespair or hope. Looking at William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House it is clear that both possess certain tragic aspects. The protagonists of both pieces’ experience suffering due to a similar flaw and both plays inspire feelings of pity and fear. Yet the main aspect that separates the two is the defi ning feeling the audience takes away at the end. While Hamlet ends in despair and unhappiness, A Doll’s House possess a hint of hope for the future. Yet if a tragedy instills a feelingRead MoreHenrik Ibsen s A Doll s House1291 Words   |  6 Pages002322- 3 Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House is based in the Victorian society of the 19th century. It assesses the many struggles and hardships that women faced because of marriage â€Å"laws† that were crucial during that time period. The society was male- dominated with no equality. Nora is the protagonist in A Doll’s House and the wife of a man named Torvald. This play is about Nora’s voyage to recognizing her self- determination and independence. She transforms from a traditional, reserved woman toRead MoreEssay on Themes and Symbols in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House1296 Words   |  6 Pages(Ibsen 1491). Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll House tells a story of scandal and deceit set in the Victorian era. Nora Helmer is married to Torvald Helmer and she feels more like his toy than his wife. Nora had to have Torvald to be able to do anything, because of when she lived. Nora borrows money behind her husband’s back (which is illegal at this time ) and tries to cover up everything she has done. Ibsen employs the use of many themes and symbols in his A Doll House to show the reader just how Nora was